Honda’s family icon, put to the ownership test.

The 5th generation Honda Odyssey (2021–present) is one of the most popular family minivans on the market. But beyond the glossy brochures and polished press reviews, what’s it actually like to own one day in and day out? This page covers my real-world experience — the good, the bad, and the unexpected — so you can see what living with a modern Odyssey is really like.

My 2021 Honda Odyssey EX-L: A Disappointing Chapter in a Long Honda Story

I’ve owned nearly a dozen Hondas and Acuras over the years. I’ve been in the Honda family long enough to know what the brand is supposed to stand for — reliability, build quality, the kind of car you buy because you don’t want to think about it. So when we needed a minivan, the decision was easy. It was going to be a Honda Odyssey.

We bought the 2021 Odyssey EX-L and a 2021 Accord Touring in the same year. The Accord has been exactly what I expected from Honda — not a single issue worth mentioning. I barely think about it. The Odyssey has been a different story.

It Started Immediately

The van’s first real service visit — just a few months in — wasn’t just an oil change. I was already writing up issues. The sliding door gaskets were rubbing paint off both door jambs. There were nicks where paint met brushed metal near the wheels. The speakers had crackled. By November 2021, five months into ownership, I was back with a longer list: a clunk felt through the steering wheel, a vibrating driver’s side mirror, a misaligned rear bumper cover, a gas door that opened in two awkward stages, a chrome strip under the rear window that was already rusting and pitting, groaning brakes, a rattling steering wheel over road imperfections, and a creaking seatbelt latch. Nine items. Five months old.

That kind of list on a seasoned platform like the Odyssey — a nameplate Honda has had decades to refine — was a surprise. Not a pleasant one.

The Slow Grind

Over the next two years, the visits kept coming. Some things got fixed. Some got a “could not duplicate” and sent back home with me. Others were “standard operating procedure” — Honda’s way of saying this is how the van works, and we consider that acceptable. The mirror vibrated at highway speeds for years, got replaced once, kept vibrating, became a safety recall, and wasn’t fully resolved for three years. The front-end clunk evolved from an annoyance into a diagnosis that eventually required a steering column replacement. The rear hatch developed a habit of catching on the roof trim in warm weather. The driver’s seat clicked every single time you sat down. The rear window gasket started deteriorating — and when that finally came up at a service visit, it was denied coverage.

The sliding door gasket issue that showed up on visit one? It’s still not fixed. Five-plus years later, paint continues to wear in both door jambs. I eventually applied PPF at my own expense just to stop the damage.

I’ve kept detailed letters before every service visit — something I started doing early because I noticed not every issue I mentioned made it onto the invoice. Documenting things in writing became a necessity.

When Honda Caused the Problem

The most frustrating chapter came in October 2024. The van went in for a Honda campaign — a software update to the idle stop system, their work, their hands on the car. The backup camera started throwing failure messages the next day. Not weeks later. The next day. Since then, it’s failed nine documented times. CarPlay drops with it. The most recent visit produced a “partial” outcome — meaning Honda acknowledged the issue but hasn’t resolved it.

That same October visit also included an out-of-pocket charge for a molding that HondaCare declined to cover. On a warranty visit. Small dollar amount, notable principle.

Meanwhile, the driver-side sliding door has developed a new habit of not fully closing — reversing to about 80% and stopping. I’ve documented it on video. Honda has yet to duplicate it in their shop.

Where Things Stand

Four issues remain open and unresolved: the camera failure, the sliding door that won’t close, a returning front-end clunk that may be separate from the steering column work already done, and the original door gasket paint wear that started this whole journey. The van has had five separate recalls completed over its life, which isn’t a quality commentary on its own — recalls happen — but combined with everything else, it adds to the picture.

The Bigger Point

I’m not writing this to be dramatic about a minivan. I’m writing this because the gap between the Accord in my driveway and the Odyssey parked next to it shouldn’t exist. Same brand, same year, completely different ownership experience. The Odyssey is a capable vehicle when everything is working — comfortable, surprisingly fun to drive, does the family hauling job well. But “capable when everything is working” is a lower bar than Honda used to clear automatically.

After nearly a dozen Hondas, I’m still a Honda guy. I’m just a Honda guy who’s been made to work for it.

The Full Record

Early on I started keeping detailed letters before every visit. Eventually that grew into a complete service log — every issue I reported, how Honda summarized it (when they bothered to write it down), what they found, what parts were replaced, and whether the problem was actually resolved. The interactive log below covers all eleven visits to Norris Honda, every Hollenshades service appointment, and the four issues still open today. You can search and filter by date, category, outcome, or any keyword. If you’re a current or prospective Odyssey owner and something here looks familiar, I hope it saves you some time.